Determination of Cd, Hg, As, Cr and Pb levels in meat from the Kumasi Central Abattoir

The purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations of toxic metals (Cd, Hg, Cr, Pb, As) in meat at the Kumasi Central Abattoir, Ghana by using a Varian 220 Atom Absorption Spectrophotometer. The levels of toxic metals in meat (cow, pig, sheep, goat, grass cutter, deer) varied in concentration. The concentration of lead was above the tolerance level in all the meat samples with the highest concentration recorded in beef at 1.154 mg/kg and the lowest at 0.037 mg/kg in pork. The amount of mercury, Hg observed in the various meat samples fell within the range of 0.059 mg/kg to 0.012 mg/kg, a little over the tolerable level of 0.05 mg/kg. The highest mercury, Hg concentration was observed in grasscutter meat (0.071 mg/kg) and the lowest concentration in pork, which was observed at 0.012 mg/kg, with the former above the permissible limit and the latter below the permissible limit. The concentrations of As, Cd and Cr were all within the tolerance limit. The meat analyzed may have a potential health risk to consumers.